True Detective season 5: everything we know about the HBO crime drama

Issa Lopez
Issa López (Image credit: Chino Lemus/HBO)

Looks like we won’t be waiting five years for another iteration of True Detective. After the success of True Detective season 4 (aka True Detective: Night Country), HBO has announced they are moving forward with True Detective season 5 and bringing back Issa López, who oversaw the most recent season, to handle the new season as well.

True Detective: Night Country starred Jodie Foster and Kali Reis as detectives in Alaska tasked with solving a puzzling mystery of how a group of researchers were found frozen in the ice while the area is experiencing its annual stretch of constant night. The fourth season of the anthology crime drama was the most watched edition of the show, with HBO reporting 12.7 million viewers across platforms. That made it an easy call to renew the show, coming just days after the True Detective season 4 finale.

So what can True Detective fans expect in this new season? It's very early in the process, but here is what we know about True Detective season 5.

True Detective season 5 release date

There is no True Detective season 5 premiere date available at this time. 

HBO did not include a specific release date or even a release window for the new season of True Detective in its renewal announcement. The fastest we've ever got two seasons of True Detective back-to-back was a year and a half between True Detective season 1 and True Detective season 2. 

That being said, we're pretty confident we won't have True Detective season 5 until at least 2025, but we'll keep this post updated as info about the show's release is shared.

In the meantime, if you want to catch up with True Detective season 4 or any past season of the show, you can stream it on Max in the US and Sky Go or NOW TV in the UK

True Detective season 5 cast

Similarly, there is no word on who is going to star in True Detective season 5. If you're wondering whether Foster, Reis or any other characters from True Detective season 4 could show up again, that would be breaking tradition for the series.

True Detective is an anthology series, with each new season featuring a new story and new characters. So the expectation is that Foster and company will not be back and a new team of investigators will try and solve a brand new mystery.

As any casting news comes in on True Detective season 5, we'll add it here.

True Detective season 5 plot

Again, no specifics are available for what the plot of True Detective season 5 is going to be, but we at least do know that López is once again going to be overseeing the series, offering some consistency following her acclaimed work on season 4.

"From conception to release, Night Country has been the most beautiful collaboration and adventure of my entire creative life," López said in HBO's renewal announcement. "HBO trusted my vision all the way, and the idea of bringing to life a new incarnation of True Detective with Casey, Francesca and the whole team is a dream come true. I can't wait to go again."

If you still have any questions about what happened in True Detective season 4, check out our in-depth episode recaps and ending explained piece above.

True Detective season 5 trailer

We're a long ways off presumably from a True Detective season 5 trailer. But when one does become available, we'll be sure to add it here. 

CATEGORIES
Michael Balderston

Michael Balderston is a DC-based entertainment and assistant managing editor for What to Watch, who has previously written about the TV and movies with TV Technology, Awards Circuit and regional publications. Spending most of his time watching new movies at the theater or classics on TCM, some of Michael's favorite movies include Casablanca, Moulin Rouge!, Silence of the Lambs, Children of Men, One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest and Star Wars. On the TV side he enjoys Only Murders in the Building, Yellowstone, The Boys, Game of Thrones and is always up for a Seinfeld rerun. Follow on Letterboxd.